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Oilers take first ABL game of season

Posted: Monday, June 20, 2005

By CHARLES PULLIAMPeninsula Clarion

The Peninsula Oilers won the first game of a three-game series against the Athletes in Action Alaska Fire 5-1 in the Oilers' first Alaska Baseball League game on a windy Father's Day Sunday at Coral Seymour Memorial Park at Kenai.

"Its a good way to start (ABL play)," Oilers' shortstop Nick Kliebert said. "We were lucky enough to get some timely hits."

The Oilers had 14 hits in the game, including three doubles.

Oilers' pitcher Dave Pellegrine started the game on the mound, but the Fire's first two at-bats resulted in base hits. Infield hits by Rick Simpson and Luke McLean allowed them to take bases, and McLean would later score the first run of the game on a rather confusing call.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Fire designated hitter Chris Simpson started to take his base because he thought he was hit by Pellegrine's pitch. He wasn't. Essentially, the runners on base were stealing as they advanced, and McLean scored after being declared safe by the umpire as he slid into home plate. The Oilers caught onto the play too late to stop the run, but Pellegrine caught Simpson on his way to first base, which was still occupied, for the final out as the controversial half of the first inning came to a close.

"It was a very shaky start (for both teams)," Oilers' coach Mike Coutts said, "We were able to right ourselves though."

John McCarthy attempted to fire the Oilers up in the second inning with a deep double into right field. McCarthy's try for the Oilers' first run was denied at the plate, though, after a bunt attemt from Nathan Faulkner failed to score the run.

Instead, the Oilers' first run came from Jake Kahaulelio in the bottom of the third inning. Nick Kliebert's single allowed Kahaulelio to score to knot the game at 1-1.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Kliebert earned his second RBI of the game with a line drive single that allowed Luke Salas to score. McCarthy would hit an off-the-wall double, his second of the game, on the next at bat to send Kliebert home as the Oilers' opened a 3-1 lead.

Kliebert would be set up once again following singles by Salas and Kahaulelio in the seventh inning.

"I got ahold of some good pitches ... it was like deja-vu," Kliebert said of getting set up to bring in the scoring runs.

Salas would go on to score his second run as the Oilers' lead swelled to 4-1.